Dell PowerStore 500T vs 1200T
Dell PowerStore 500T
Dell PowerStore 1200T
The PowerStore 500T and 1200T sit at the entry and lower-mid points of Dell's current Gen2 PowerStore T-series, a unified block-and-file, NVMe all-flash platform built on the active/active dual-node architecture and PowerStoreOS. They share the same core software stack, data-reduction engine, and management experience, so the choice is mostly about how much performance, memory, and capacity headroom you need rather than which feature set you get. The 500T is positioned as the value/entry model for smaller deployments, edge sites, and budget-conscious consolidation. The 1200T is the next step up, with more CPU cores, more memory, higher capacity ceilings, and additional high-speed networking for environments expecting to grow. Both can join the same PowerStore cluster, so they can also coexist. This page lays out the practical differences a Uniqcli buyer should weigh; always confirm exact configured specs on the current Dell spec sheet and quote, since options vary by build.
Side by side
| Dell PowerStore 500T | Dell PowerStore 1200T | |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Entry / value tier of the Gen2 T-series; aimed at smaller workloads, edge, and cost-sensitive consolidation | Lower-mid tier; aimed at growing production workloads needing more headroom |
| Architecture | Dual-node active/active, NVMe all-flash, unified block + file, runs PowerStoreOS | Same dual-node active/active NVMe all-flash unified design and PowerStoreOS |
| Controller compute | Dual-socket Intel Xeon per appliance with a lower core count than the 1200T | Dual-socket Intel Xeon with a higher core count, for more IOPS and concurrency headroom |
| Base memory | Lower base memory (entry configuration) | Higher base memory and a larger maximum, helping cache-sensitive and mixed workloads |
| Capacity ceiling | Lower effective-capacity maximum per appliance and per cluster | Substantially higher effective-capacity maximum per appliance and per cluster |
| Networking | Common Ethernet (e.g. 10/25 GbE) and Fibre Channel host options | Same options plus higher-speed networking (including 100 GbE) for NVMe/TCP and expansion |
| Software & data services | Full PowerStoreOS: inline dedupe/compression, snapshots, replication, AppsON, NVMe/TCP | Identical software feature set and data-reduction guarantee program |
| Scale & clustering | Clusters with other PowerStore appliances; lower per-appliance scale | Clusters in the same federation; higher per-appliance scale for fewer, larger nodes |
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Dell PowerStore 500T
Dell PowerStore 1200T
Choose the 500T when budget and footprint lead
Pick the 500T if you are consolidating a smaller or edge environment, standing up a remote/branch site, or replacing aging midrange arrays where capacity and IOPS demands are modest. You still get the full PowerStoreOS feature set, unified block and file, inline data reduction, and the same management and Anytime Upgrade path, just at a lower entry cost and with a smaller capacity ceiling. It is the efficient choice when you want PowerStore's software and NVMe performance without paying for headroom you won't use, and you can always cluster it alongside larger PowerStore nodes later.
Choose the 1200T when you expect to grow
Pick the 1200T if you are running denser production workloads, mixed databases and virtualization, or consolidating multiple arrays where you want room to scale capacity and performance without re-platforming. The extra cores, larger memory ceiling, higher effective-capacity maximums, and 100 GbE networking give more sustained throughput and longer useful life as the environment expands. It is the better fit when you would rather buy fewer, larger nodes, or when high-speed NVMe/TCP networking and future expansion shelves are on the roadmap.
There is no functional gap to worry about: the 500T and 1200T run the same PowerStoreOS, expose the same data services, and can live in the same cluster, so this is a sizing decision rather than a feature decision. Choose the 500T to minimize cost and footprint for smaller, edge, or steady-state workloads, and the 1200T when you need more compute, memory, capacity, and networking headroom for growth and denser consolidation. A common pattern is to start with 500T nodes and add a 1200T to the same federation as demand rises. Because exact CPU, memory, capacity, and networking options depend on the configured build, validate the final specs against the current Dell Gen2 spec sheet and your Uniqcli quote before ordering.
Talk to a specialistFrequently asked
Do the 500T and 1200T run the same software and data services?
Yes. Both are Gen2 T-series appliances running PowerStoreOS and share the same feature set, including unified block and file, inline deduplication and compression, snapshots, native and metro replication, AppsON, and NVMe/TCP support. The differences are in hardware scale, controller compute, memory, capacity ceilings, and networking, not in which software capabilities you get.
Can I mix a 500T and a 1200T in the same cluster?
Yes. PowerStore appliances of different models can be federated into the same cluster and managed as one system, with the ability to migrate volumes non-disruptively between appliances. That makes it practical to start small with a 500T and add a 1200T later as capacity and performance needs grow, rather than committing to a single large node up front.
How should I decide between the two?
Base it on workload size and growth expectations. The 500T fits smaller, edge, or budget-led deployments where capacity and IOPS demands are modest. The 1200T fits denser production workloads, mixed databases and virtualization, and consolidation efforts where you want more headroom and high-speed networking. Confirm the exact configured CPU, memory, capacity, and port options on the current Dell spec sheet and your Uniqcli quote, since they vary by build.
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